Meet The Folks
by Caitiann
Summary: AU, no zombies. A fluffy one shot where Beth takes her boyfriend Rick home to meet the family. For Emma Kellog, a beautiful human being, whose reviews make my day. NO longer a one-shot, because I am a glutton who lives on Brick. Part two is up!
1. Chapter 1

**This is kind of silly. I had a request for a one shot from my 100th reviewer for my story "Burden and Bury", Emma Kellog. She asked for something fluffy, since BnB gets pretty dark. I thought, yeah okay, I can probably crank out a few pages. 13 pages later...**

**Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this, and I would love your thoughts. **

Beth was extremely nervous, but nothing compared to the fidgeting man beside her. Rick was dressed in a full suit, which was wildly unnecessary, and made him look handsome, but completely uncomfortable. He was shifting in his seat, compulsively rubbing his neck, and clearing his throat. Beth giggled.

"Do you need me to drive?" She asked, causing Rick to glare at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Tell me again why I agreed to this?" Rick groaned, to which Beth laughed.

"You didn't." she smiled, poking his arm with her finger, "it was YOUR idea!"

Rick grinned slightly, and cocked his head towards her, "… That doesn't sound like me." Their eyes connected for a moment, blue on blue, and Beth couldn't contain the smile that spread across her features before Rick turned his attention back to the road.

Beth sighed happily. Rick meeting her family… this was a big deal. They'd been dating for a year, but somehow had avoided this. Beth rested her head back on the seat rest behind her, and pulled her legs up under her, before reaching over for Rick's hand. He brought her fingers up to his lips and kissed them lightly.

"I like the yellow nails." Rick said absentmindedly.

Rick always did that. It was the first thing he had said to her when they met.

"_I like your blue nail polish."_

"_Oh yeah?"_

"_Yeah, matches the uniform."_

Beth grinned to herself at the memory. They had met while Beth was attending Emory in Atlanta, getting her nursing degree. She had been doing clinicals at a hospital when Rick came in to talk to a drunk driving accident victim. Beth had been embarrassed as hell at the time. She was wearing blue scrubs, no makeup, and her hair had been thrown up in a haphazard ponytail. But apparently Rick hadn't minded.

They both had work to do, but when Beth's shift had ended, Rick was waiting just outside the double doors with two cups of coffee.

"_Do I look that tired?" Beth had sighed, taking the warm, aromatic liquid from him, inhaling it deeply._

"_You look that beautiful." Rick had responded, causing her to blush_.

Beth squeezed Rick's hand at the memory. Beth had graduated last month, but Rick had to work during the ceremony. That was the downside of him being a cop. The upside was handcuffs. Beth's father had been mad that he wasn't there, he wanted to meet him. Beth had not told Rick that. She knew Rick had really wanted to be there, but some things can't be helped. When she took her family back to her apartment, there had been two dozen yellow tulips waiting for her, and a note of congratulations. Maggie had elbowed her in the ribs.

Maggie had been pretty envious when Beth told her about the age difference. Beth was 22, Rick was 42.

"_Older men, Beth, that's the way to do it. They know what they're doing."_

Beth had blushed, and slapped her sister in horror, but she knew Maggie was completely correct. All of the boys she had dated in high school and college, had been just that, compared to Rick- boys. Rick was special anyway, Beth knew that much, but he was also much more… knowledgeable.

Beth blushed in the car at the thought, bringing her back into the present.

"About 18 more miles out to the farm." She informed Rick.

He nodded before clearing his throat. "Listen, Beth… How worried should I be, here?"

Beth fiddled with the hem of her skirt. "I'm not sure what you mean." She replied, not making eye contact.

Rick sighed dramatically, and gripped the top of the steering wheel. "I mean is there a chance your dad or sister is going to tell me they don't approve and make me stop dating you?"

Beth sat straight up at that. "Would that work?" her worried eyes searched Rick's.

Rick grinned back at her, putting his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in to kiss her head. "No, baby."

"Good." Beth smiled, before pursing her lips in thought. "I wouldn't worry a ton, but I can't pretend it will be easy. Mom is up visiting Shawn and his family in Macon for Easter, so it will just be Daddy and Maggie. Maggie will tease you, but love you. Daddy…" she paused, considering. "Daddy will be a little tougher."

Rick winced and rubbed his neck. "Swell."

"Hey, I got us out of goin' to church. Least you can do is make it through dinner." Beth teased Rick, squeezing his hand again.

"Anything for you, Beth."

/

They turned off onto a dirt road, and Beth jumped out to open the gate for them to drive up to the farm house. Rick swallowed hard as he watched her. She was wearing a white strapless dress, covered in blue and yellow flowers, with her standard brown cowboy boots. Her hair was loose and flowing over her shoulders in soft waves.

Rick wondered frequently how he had gotten so lucky. The day he had met her was one of the best days of his life. He hated going to that goddamn hospital. When he was 27, he had lost his pregnant wife in that same place, and every time he had to go in there, it was like she was haunting him. Then over a decade he walked in, and instead of seeing a ghost, he saw an angel. It felt like a miracle.

Beth ran back over, and jumped into his truck. She smiled brilliantly at him. "You ready baby?"

Rick swallowed. "Now or never, I guess." Beth wrapped her arms around his, and leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"Oh darn, I got lip gloss on you. Better not let daddy see that." Beth reached up to wipe the sticky pink substance from his cheek while Rick said a quick prayer in his mind.

They drove past a large barn, and Beth started twitching a little bit in her seat. She suddenly pushed across him, pointing to the barn and screeching. "THERE'S NELLIE!" she yelled. Sure enough, a large brown horse was eating grass on the east side of the barn. Rick chuckled to himself- of course Beth had a pony. She really was a Disney princess come to life.

Rick pulled off to the side of the main house and Beth flew out of the truck before it even came to a complete stop. She ran up the stairs into the open arms of a tall brunette girl. The two were talking over each other, giggling, and crying before Rick had even shut the engine off.

When he closed the door of his truck, the girl whipped her head around and put her hands on her hips and froze Rick with a glare. She stomped right up to him, and poked him in the chest.

"You Rick?" she asked, narrowing her green eyes up at him.

Rick started laughing.

"Why are you laughing?!" The girl took off her cowboy hat, and started hitting him on the arm with it, which only made Rick laugh harder.

"I think he's lost it Bethie." The girl yelled over her shoulder, as his blonde Beth came running up to stop her from hitting him.

"What's so funny, Rick?" Beth asked softly, patting his hand where the girl before her had been whaling on him.

Rick took a deep breath and tried to collect himself. "'S just that… she looked just like you when you try to look all formidable." He squeaked out before he started laughing again. In response Beth gasped, and slapped his arm.

"I do NOT try to look formidable!" she snapped, before Rick pulled her into a hug.

"You do, and I love it." He said, kissing her on the tip of her ear. "You must be Maggie." He said, extending his hand around Beth to the brunette.

She scoffed, and knocked his hand away. "In this family we hug, Rick." She said before wrapping her arms around both Beth and Rick. He exhaled in relief, and happily hugged Maggie back.

"Listen," she said, as she broke the hug, "I need to tell you somethin' before we go in." Rick noticed Beth wince out of the corner of his eye.

"What is it Maggie?" Beth asked softly. Rick swooned a little at that. He loved everything about this girl, and knowing she was the exact same caring soul around her family as she was with him was no surprise, but a great relief.

Maggie grabbed both of their hands, and pulled them close to her before whispering. "You have to be cool, okay Beth?" Beth nodded in response before Maggie continued. "Thing is, I'm pregnant. Again." Maggie's hand flew up to Beth's mouth, muffling the shriek of delight that came flying out. "Is that being cool, Beth?" Maggie laughed, exasperated.

"'M sorry, but that's wonderful! Finally Hershel Jr. will have a little brother or sister!" Beth screeched, pulling her sister into yet another hug. "But why the secrecy? Isn't it Glenn's?"

Maggie smacked her sister on the arm. "Of course its Glenn's you little twerp!" she laughed. "I just found out a couple days ago, and I didn't want to steal ol' Officer Friendly here's thunder." She said tilting her head towards Rick.

"Maggie, that's awful kind, but you should share the good news with your dad. He'd want to know." Rick answered, patting her gently on the back. "And congratulations! You and Glenn have been married 3 years, right?"

"4, actually," Maggie grinned, before nudging Rick, and smiling. "But 'A' for effort." Rick blushed when Maggie winked at him, causing her to giggle even more.

"He's super cute, Beth, where did you find him?" Maggie asked, as Rick turned a deep maroon.

Beth rolled her eyes. "Stop teasing him Maggie. Besides, it's not like I pulled in the pizza delivery guy while I was drunk, like I was straight out of a porno."

Maggie stomped the dirt and gasped, offended. "I was NOT drunk. He was super cute you little jerk!"

"Yeah, whatever. I just hope he makes good pizza now that he's knocked you up again!" Beth laughed, and Maggie pushed her shoulder in offense. The two were talking over each other now, and pushing and slapping each other in jest.

_He didn't make the pizza he just delivered it!_

_Oh yeah, that was my point. Good job, Maggie._

_He doesn't even do that anymore, he hasn't in years!_

_Because an architect is sooooooo interesting!_

_Why you little…_

Rick backed away as the two playfully fought. He had been an only child, but even he knew not to get involved in sibling stuff.

"Oh crap, are they fighting already?" A smiling young Asian man with a young child on his hip stuck his head through the front door. "Sweet ride dude, what is it?" the man sauntered towards Rick, clapping him on the back.

Rick smiled. He was already at ease with this guy. If he liked his truck, he knew they'd get along fine. "It's just a Nissan Titan. You're Glenn I guess?" Rick reached out and put a tentative hand on the baby's back. He hadn't been near a child since he'd lost his own. "And this is Hershel Jr.?"

"Yeah. Why are they fighting this time?" Glenn probed, watching the two girls bicker.

Rick shrugged, and Glenn laughed. "Oh well. You like roast? We're having roast. HEY!" he turned to the girls who were still wrangling, "DINNER'S DONE. YOU TWO HUNGRY?" The two girls stopped and walked over, giving their two respective paramours kisses.

Beth reached for her nephew, and he reached back quickly. The two snuggled and Beth talked baby talk to him before turning back to Rick.

"I see you met Glenn and this little guy." Beth smiled at an overwhelmed Rick, who nodded in return. "Let's go meet Daddy."

Rick gulped.

/

Beth couldn't keep from smiling. On one arm she had her sister that she loved more than life, who was pregnant. She was going to be an aunt again! She missed Maggie, and she hated the idea of missing Hershel Jr. grow up. Beth wondered if there would be opportunity to see about moving closer home. She wondered if Rick could be talked into that.

Rick… he was on her other arm. He looked beyond gorgeous in his navy suit. He was nervous, and fidgety, but that was to be expected. Maggie had already whispered in her ear that she loved him, that he was handsome and sweet, and the way he looked at Beth gave him an automatic pass from her. Now, as they walked through the door into their childhood home, she could only hope Daddy would be the same.

Beth sighed happily. Home. It looked the exact same, save for several baby toys strewn about the place. It was nice to know some things never changed. The sun was pouring in through the windows, illuminating the sitting room with a warm glow. The smell of the roast and potatoes hung in the air, making her hungry and happy.

"Is that my Bethie?" she heard her father call from the door to the kitchen.

"Daddy!" she screamed, running over to him, nearly knocking him down with a hug. She clung tightly to her father for a few moments, forgetting the rest of what was going on around her. She didn't see her father nearly enough, and he was getting older. She missed him dearly.

She felt her father's chuckle reverberate against her, as he returned her hug. "Bethie, aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Oh! Shoot, yes!" she grinned, before finally releasing her father from the hug. Beth ran back over and grabbed Rick's hand, pulling him forward to where he was face to face with her father. She wrapped herself around his arm. "Daddy, this is Rick Grimes. Rick, my daddy, Hershel Greene."

Rick extended his free hand formally, and shook Hershel's own. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Greene. Thank you for inviting me into your home."

Hershel chuckled quietly again, shaking Rick's hand. "Hershel will do, son. We're glad to have you. I hope you're not on a diet, Maggie has outdone herself today. And Annette left behind a chocolate pie."

Rick exhaled visibly, and smiled at Hershel. "No, no diet. Dinner sounds delicious. Thank you… Hershel." Beth giggled in spite of herself.

"Daddy, do we have a few minutes before dinner? I wanted to show Rick around the house real quick." She asked, smiling innocently.

Hershel nodded, looking at Glenn. "Glenn, can you pour drinks? That should give them a couple of minutes. Sweet tea okay with you two?" They both nodded their consent, and Beth dragged Rick up the stairs.

"This is my room." Beth smiled, all but pushing Rick inside, before slamming the door behind him, and turning the lock. She jumped towards Rick and kissed him hard on the mouth. Rick's protests were muffled by Beth, but he still gently pushed her back.

"What the hell, Beth?" he whispered sternly, causing her to blanch.

"We've got a few minutes," she stuttered, moving back closer to him. "and the door does have a lock." Beth smiled as she saw the wheels turning in Rick's mind.

"Your dad's right downstairs, though, Beth." Rick balked, rubbing his neck.

"Doesn't mean he has a key." Beth countered. Rick stood quietly considering, until Beth interrupted his thoughts. "You're wasting ti-"

Beth was cut off by Rick's mouth. She smiled against him before melting into a deep kiss. Kissing Rick was unlike any other experience Beth had ever had. His kisses were soft, but at the same time demanding and they lit a fire deep inside of her. She couldn't seem to ever get enough. Sure enough, her legs went weak against him, and he dipped her gently onto her bed.

Rick's mouth moved over to Beth's neck, where he peppered gentle kisses as he pulled down her dress, revealing her breasts. Beth moaned when Rick took one pink nipple into his mouth, before snaking his hand up her dress, between her thighs.

Rick teased Beth's wetness over her underwear, making Beth twitch. Rick returned to her neck, gently nipping and sucking on her soft skin.

"Rick…" Beth moaned, as he continued to tease her clit. She needed him inside of her, in any capacity.

Rick breathed into her ear, making her shudder. "What's the magic word, Beth?"

Beth groaned, and pushed down against Rick's fingers. "Pleeeeease, Rick. I need you."

"If you say so, ma'am." With that, Rick moved aside Beth's underwear and slid a finger inside of her. Beth gasped at the sudden invasion before adjusting and savoring Rick's touch. She fisted her hand into Rick's curls, encouraging his mouth onto hers. Rick slid another finger in and quickened his pace, while he muffled Beth's moans with his ceaseless kisses. He pressed his body into Beth, and she felt his hard length grind against her.

Rick suddenly withdrew his fingers, causing Beth to squeak in complaint at the loss. He kissed her again before moving down to the floor, and sliding down Beth's underwear. Rick breathed gently against her wetness, and Beth bucked instinctively. Looking down at Rick between her legs was the most erotic thing to Beth. Rick looked up at her, his normally icy blue eyes now a deep navy, and smirked.

Rick dove in with his tongue, resulting in Beth arching her back, and closing her eyes. The feel of Rick's stubble against her opening drove her insane. Rick explored Beth's clit with his tongue before hitting that certain spot that Beth needed.

"Don't… stop…" Beth begged. She was so close. She reached over to the head of the bed and grabbed a pillow. Rick continued his attentions, and again slipped a finger inside of her, sending her over the edge. She moaned her release into the pillow, calling out Rick's name.

Rick gently slipped out of her, and hovered over her. He picked up the pillow kindly, and tossed it to the side. "I love when you call out my name." He said, smiling down on her.

Beth sat up on her elbows. "I love YOU." She grinned, earning her a deep kiss from the man in front of her.

They were interrupted by a loud knock at the door.

"HEY! Better tell Rick to put his pants back on, dinner's on the table!" Maggie yelled, before chuckling mischievously.

/

Rick was freaking out a little. "I can't believe I let you talk me into that." he hissed, as he dragged Beth down the stairs towards the dining room.

She jumped down the final stair, before turning to kiss him on the cheek. "You loved it. Live a little, Grimes." she winked at him, and practically skipped into the kitchen, leaving Rick to gape in her wake. Beth was so young in some ways. But she was kind, and gentle, this much Rick knew, and she acted as a balm to anyone she came in contact with.

It was part of what made her such a good nurse. She was smart, and able to make quick decisions, yes, but she was also incredibly empathetic. She was a natural healer. It was what she'd done for him when they first met. For over a decade, Rick had just moved from one thing to another, just living day to day. Then he met Beth, and not only did she find a way to heal him, but she injected him with vitality, and joie de vivre. Suddenly, with Beth, Rick found life was worth living again. He loved Beth for that. He would always love Beth, that much had become clear to him.

Rick walked into the dining room, and smiled at the sight before him. Hershel, Maggie, Glenn, their son, and Beth were all talking and laughing, seated around the full table. The table itself held enough food for 15, not just the five if them, plus Hershel Jr. who was too young for anything but the mashed potatoes. Rick had missed this. He was an only child, and his mom had died when he was 13. His dad has raised him, given him everything, and had died of a heart attack when Rick was only 24. He lost Lori, and their unborn child only 3 years later. He had forgotten what family looked like, and he had chosen to forget how much he missed the feeling of camaraderie and love that radiated from these moments.

"Get in here already, damn. Standing there watching us... Creeper." Glenn intoned, putting the drinks around the table.

"Glenn, language, if you don't mind, son." Hershel said severely, but a smile twitched at the corners of his mouth. "But he's right, come have a seat Rick." he added, gesturing to the empty chair next to him.

Rick took his seat next to the head of the table where Hershel sat. Beth was on his left, and Maggie was across from him, next to Hershel Jr.'s high chair, while Glenn sat at the bottom of the table, and wiggled uncomfortably.

"You okay, Glenn?" Beth asked, as she grabbed Rick's hand under the table.

Glenn shifted again. "Yeah, normally Mags and I sit on that side of table," he said, pointing to where Rick and Beth were sitting.

"You're such a baby Glenn!" Beth laughed at him, before everyone joined in.

Hershel interrupted with a cough. "Alright, let's say a prayer, before the food gets cold, what do you all say?" Hershel extended his hands, and seeing Maggie grab on to one, Rick followed suit. Beth squeezed Rick's other hand, and then reached out for Glenn's. They were all connected now, and bowed their heads as Hershel began his prayer.

"Our father who art in heaven, thank you so much for this beautiful day you've given us. On this special day, on which we remember your sacrifice of your son, and his resurrection, it is even more special that you have brought my girl Bethie and her friend Rick home safely."

Beth squeezed Rick's hand again, and Rick wondered how seriously he should take Hershel's use of the word 'friend.'

"We want to thank you for the bountiful care which you have provided us, and the wonderful hands of Maggie that prepared the meal before us. Please forgive us for all our sins, we know we are not worthy of your grace. In your son's name- Amen."

Maggie, Glenn, and Beth echoed their father's 'Amen' and Rick followed with a belated one himself. Beth leaned over and gave Rick and gentle kiss on his cheek. The display of affection filled him with a surge of love, and he turned and placed a chaste kiss on her lips with a smile.

Suddenly aware of himself, he took survey of the rest of the Greene family. Maggie stifled a giggle, while Glenn rolled his eyes, and Hershel stared solemnly down at his empty plate. Rick winced.

"It's a shame your mom couldn't be here." Rick offered slowly, attempting to insert himself into the situation subtly.

Hershel nodded slowly. "Yes, she's up with Shawn for Easter. We miss her, and I know she can't wait to meet you." Hershel looked up, his eyes connecting with Rick's. Rick swallowed and turned away, before accepting the mashed potatoes from Beth.

"Shawn and his wife Andrea have two kids, Janie and Peter, and one more on the way!" Beth interjected, much to Rick's relief. "That's why mom went up this weekend, Andrea is 7 months along, and its hard for her to do much."

Rick nodded, and an uncomfortable silence settled around the table as they passed the food around. Rick was over-thinking everything, he knew. He had stared at the rolls in his hands for at least two minutes, worried that Hershel would think he was greedy if he took two. As it stood, he ended up with one piece of roast, one scoop of potatoes, one roll, and one scoop of peas. It wasn't as much as he wanted, but he didn't want to give Hershel any more ammo than he already had.

"So!" Maggie interjected into the silence. "I know how you two met, but tell us about your first date Rick." she smiled, trying to help him along.

"I love this story." Beth intoned while taking a bite of potatoes.

Rick grinned. That evening had turned out pretty well. But Beth hadn't been privy to the hours of worry and research Rick had put in to trying to make their first date special. He hadn't wanted to be boring, so dinner or a movie was out. He had thought about taking her to a concert, but he really, really wanted to avoid the dad vibe that their relationship could fall prey to, and a concert was a good place for that.

"Let's hear it, hot stuff." Glenn wiggled his eyebrows at Rick, who laughed in return.

"Alright. Well, I picked Beth up and took her to this outdoor art festival, where people dressed up as the paintings. But it started to rain, so we ran back to the car and got hot chocolate." Rick swallowed, and blushed, as all eyes focused on him.

Beth reached out and swatted his arm. "Its no fun if you tell it like that! The members of the show all had paint running down their faces, and we had to run to the car, and they were all screaming." she paused to giggle, "and Rick held his coat over my head so I wouldn't get wet. And he kissed me by the car..." Beth started to look off and get this moony look in her eyes. Rick grinned and reached out for her hand. It was moments like these he could see that she loved him just as much as he loved her, which simultaneously confused and exhilarated him.

"...and he took me to this tiny little coffee spot, that was literally below ground. He ordered us hot chocolate, and paid the barista to put extra whipped cream on mine. And we talked for four hours, and I was late back for curfew." she laughed again. Rick exhaled in relief that Beth had elected to leave out that at least one of those hours was spent making out in his truck.

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Late for curfew. Man, those were the days. If I had a nickle for every time that Glenn and I were out late having s-" she glanced at a stern looking Hershel, "seconds on our dinner."

Glenn coughed raucously."Tea. Wrong Pipe." he choked, and Rick fought back a laugh.

Rick wanted to tell them that while that first date was perfect in a lot of ways, it could never compare to all the little moments he had with Beth. Watching that AMC show on Sunday nights when she would cuddle up next to him, and hide her face in his chest every time something scary happened. Or Sunday mornings when they went grocery shopping, and he would always sneak a Butterfinger- her favorite- into the shopping cart without her noticing, even though he did it every single week.

But unbeknownst to the majority of Greene's, Beth had moved in with Rick soon after she had graduated. The rest of her family was under the impression she was still living with her college roommate. Beth hadn't exactly lied to them, but she hadn't corrected their assumptions either. Either way, Rick wouldn't change it. Waking up next to Beth Greene was the best thing he could ever imagine.

"Remind me where you're working, Rick?" Glenn asked, clearly trying to change the subject.

Rick smiled wanly. He had actually quit his job at the Atlanta PD last week, unbeknownst to Beth. He had saved up enough to be financially sound for several months, but he wouldn't need it.

"Atlanta PD." he answered, shoving a bite of peas into his mouth. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Beth beginning to chew on her pinkie nail. The longer they'd been together, the more Beth worried about Rick's job. Every day it seemed he was taking down a drug dealer or something just as dangerous, and it felt like it was getting worse. Its why he had quit, he hated the sad kiss she gave him every morning when he left. He didn't want to worry her anymore. He caught her eye, and gave her a sad smile.

Hershel noticed. "Is it a dangerous job?" he asked, though he probably knew the answer, Rick noted.

"It can be." he answered succinctly, not wanting to pursue the topic, and hoping they would all catch the hint.

Hershel nodded solemnly, and continued eating without pushing the issue. Rick sighed, but was grateful that he wasn't being interrogated and the dining room table. The conversation lulled as they all finished eating silently.

"This one time I took Maggie to a drive in to see Gremlins and she got so scared she threw popcorn at the screen."

"GLENN!" Maggie screeched, before throwing a pea at him.

Hershel sighed. "Margaret, we don't throw peas at the table, ESPECIALLY when we have guests." he said wearily.

Maggie crossed her arms across her chest and pouted. "He started it. And for the record, it wasn't the movie that scared me. Glenn screamed when a Gremlin popped out and that scared me." she finished with a triumphant flare. Glenn opened his mouth to argue, but Hershel interrupted.

"Alright, Maggie and Glenn, since you clearly have so much to talk about, why don't you two clear the table. Beth you can help them. Rick can help me go milk the cows before we have that chocolate pie."

Rick gulped.

/

Glenn had flipped on the radio, and was singing Maroon 5 into a mop to amuse Hershel Jr. as Maggie and Beth giggled at him over the sink.

"So." Maggie side-eyed Beth, as she handed her a clean dish to dry.

"So." Beth smiled back, taking a rag to the plate to dry it.

Maggie grabbed a cup and began scrubbing it roughly. "How serious are things with you and Officer Grimes?"

Beth stopped what she was doing and turned to face her sister. Maggie didn't make eye-contact, but Beth wasn't sure why. "Maggie." she said, trying to catch her sister's eye. Maggie turned reluctantly to face her. "I love him, Maggie."

Maggie sighed, and returned her attention to the cup in front of her, shaking her head. "I like him Beth, I do, but you're so young. Do you know what love is?"

Beth grabbed her sister's hand to stop her scrubbing. "You can't put love into words, Maggie. But I know what love is. I see how you look at Glenn. And I have wanted that since I first saw you together. You'd kill for him, and he'd, god, he'd search through the Georgia forests for weeks looking for you if he had to." Beth watched as Maggie looked over her sister's shoulder at her dancing husband and smiled. "That. That right there is what I'm talking about." Beth giggled pointing at the dopey grin on her sister's face. "And that's what I feel for Rick. Every day."

Maggie sighed, and turned back to the dishes. "Relationships have to be more than that feeling, though, Beth. They're hard work sometimes. And Rick... I like him, don't hear me say otherwise, but he's older, he's been through a lot more than you. He's world weary, its etched all over his face. What do you have in common with someone like that?"

Beth rolled her eyes. "What did you have in common with a Chinese-"

"KOREAN" Glenn yelled, as Beth grinned and mouthed _whatever._

"-pizza delivery boy? It's not about what we have in common, though its a lot, by the way. It's about how we help each other. He grounds me. He protects me. More than anything, he loves me. It radiates from him in everything he does, and I want that. I want it for the rest of my life."

Maggie smiled, and Beth could have sworn she saw a tear form in the corner of her eye. "Then you're both very lucky." Maggie finished, wiping her wet hands on her jeans, and pulled Beth into a hug, before kissing the mess of blonde hair. "Alright, now tell me, is he good in the sack?"

Beth smacked her sister's arm, causing them both to laugh. "I am not going to answer that!" she laughed. But Beth cast a look over her shoulder at Glenn to make sure he was turned away before whispering, "But _oh. my. god."_

_/_

Rick trailed after Hershel on the way to the barn. He couldn't help but feel like a lamb to the slaughter. Hershel seemed kind enough, to be sure, but when it came to his youngest daughter... Well. Rick was glad they were going to milk a cow, not go hunting anyway. He was concerned that hadn't tried to make chit chat on the way to the barn. He had been quiet, and stoic the entire short walk.

Hershel pushed open the heavy door, revealing several horses and a cow. Hershel guided the cow out into the open area, and took a seat, patting her on her haunches. Rick watched awkwardly, overdressed, and completely unsure of cow milking etiquette.

"So," Hershel began, bringing Rick out of his reverie, "how long have you been in love with my daughter?"

Rick swallowed, and looked down at his shoes, but grinned despite himself. "Would you believe me if I said since the moment I laid eyes on her?"

Hershel chuckled, and nodded slowly. "Yes, son, I would." his smile faded quickly however, and he turned from the chore in front of him to look Rick in the eye. "Why are you here?"

Rick swallowed. He was actually kind of grateful that Hershel saw through all pretense, and gave him a lead in to what came next. He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a small blue velvet box. He heard Hershel's breathing catch and saw his motions still, when he opened it to reveal a delicate ring. A thin gold ban, with a square solitaire diamond. Rick had stared at this ring thousands of times, and it took his breath away. Not because it was anything fancy, necessarily, but because it was just so _Beth. _It looked like light, and sunshine, and it sparkled brilliantly. Just like his girl.

Hershel exhaled heavily. "I thought so." he said, a hint of sadness in his voice. He looked up at Rick, "She is very young." he said.

"And I'm not." Rick finished the sentiment for him, closing the box and putting it back in his pocket. "But I'll take care of her. I bought... I bought some land, not far from here. I know she misses you guys. I've already gotten on with the county sheriff's department. She won't have to work, unless she wants to. I have a buddy on the force there, and old friend from school, and he got me set up. And I bought her a horse. I know she already has a horse, but I thought she could have a horse at our place, and maybe we'll get a cow too, or well, I don't really know anything about cows, but you do, maybe you could teach me about cows. Or chickens. Who doesn't like chicken? I mean-"

"Son, your babbling." Hershel interrupted, a hint of joviality in his voice. "I guess you're asking permission?" Rick nodded as Hershel stood up with a groan. He walked towards Rick and eyed him carefully. "I am trying to think of all the ways you could hurt her. And I just can't see you doing any of them." he admitted, looking the younger man in the eye. "You have my blessing."

Rick exhaled in relief, and his entire body relaxed. "I love her so much." he said, nearly laughing, excited about what the future held for the two of them.

Hershel laughed, and patted his future son in law on the back. "That's kind of the point."

/

Hershel and Rick walked back towards the farmhouse, only to be greeted on the porch by Maggie, Glenn, Hershel Jr., and a smiling Beth. Rick couldn't help but return her infectious smile.

"We thought we could have the pie on the porch, and watch the sun set." she kissed him tenderly on the cheek, and handed him a plate of the the chocolate pie on a little white dish. Hershel scooped up his name sake from Glenn, and they all headed to the porch. Hershel sat in a rocking chair with the baby, while Glenn and Maggie leaned on the banister, holding hands, and feeding each other bites of pie.

Rick situated himself in the remaining chair, and Beth sat gingerly across his legs, stealing bites of his pie. The sun had indeed started to set in the distance, causing an array of oranges and purples to illuminate the sky. Rick couldn't contain his happiness.

"It's so beautiful out here." he smiled, looking at first into the distance, but then at Beth, his future, his hope, as she smiled down at him, all beauty and hope, before popping a bite of the dessert into his mouth, and holding him close.

"Perfect for a wedding." Hershel added, causing Rick to choke on the chocolate pie.

**I'm so interested in feedback on this, because there are so many things I'm not sure about, and would love to see what worked and what didn't. If this is liked enough, I do have a thought in my head about making this part one in a trilogy of one shots. So please, let me have your thoughts.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, a part two! Thank you guys for reading, I can't wait for your feedback on this.**

"I can't believe I agreed to this." Rick rubbed his beard, and stared at the grass.

"Yeah, me either. Dumbass." Glenn, his –hopefully- future brother-in-law was laughing at him, while making faces at Hershel Jr. who was strapped to his chest in a carrier.

"Shut up." Maggie interjected, inspecting the trees. Rick sighed, and followed her around. Rick had made the mistake of telling his girlfriend Beth's father that it was okay if he told her sister Maggie that he had asked for permission to marry Beth. This meant that less than 24 hours later he had received a call from a worked up Maggie demanding to know his plans for the proposal.

Rick was too shy to admit it, but the truth is he'd been thinking about this for a while. He wanted to propose before he started his new job with the local Sheriff's department- in two weeks. Rick had secretly resigned from his job with the Atlanta PD in favor of taking a safer job to ease Beth's worry. He had also purchased a few acres of land with a little house on it a couple miles down the road from her father's farm. It was getting a little difficult to talk his way around the fact that he wasn't exactly going to work anymore. Luckily, Beth's birthday was this weekend, and he planned on taking that as an opportunity to do all of this.

Rick knew the moment he saw the house that he wanted to propose to Beth there. And, if she was open to it, maybe even get married here. Rick was a little afraid of what kind of wedding Beth would want. She was young, at almost 23, and she had a lot of friends and family, would she want the whole big white wedding? It felt weird to the 42 year old Rick, who had been married before. Regardless, he could see it all here, in their own back yard. It gave him goosebumps.

Which is how he found himself showing Maggie around the property.

Maggie had essentially said nothing, except for occasional _hmms, _which Rick didn't really appreciate. He hoped she liked it, because he was essentially screwed if she didn't.

"Dude, how much did you drop on this place?" Glenn asked, causing Rick's draw to drop. Luckily Maggie interceded.

"Glenn, that's super rude." Maggie interjected, but didn't turn her attention from kicking the foundation of the house.

Glenn laughed. "I know, I just like making him look all scandalized."

Rick laughed, and rubbed his neck. "You got me." Rick genuinely liked Glenn, but the man seemed to live to embarrass him.

"But seriously dude, it was a pretty penny, right?" Glenn asked, his face turning serious.

Rick nodded in response. "Most of my savings, to be honest." Rick admitted. It seemed worth it to him. This was his and Beth's future, and he would have sold his left arm if it would make her happy.

"What are you going to do if she says no?"

"GLENN!" Maggie shouted, finally turning to face them, as Rick blanched. "That's beyond impolite…. 'S good question, though." She finished, winking at her husband.

When Rick looked like he was about to fall over, she laughed and pulled him into a tight hug. "She's not gonna say no, Rick. Trust me. You're stuck with us."

Rick laughed awkwardly, and hugged her back. These two took a lot of getting used to, but they loved each other and Beth fiercely, and that made them completely okay by him, and he could tell they loved him too. Rick hadn't had a family for quite some time, and that whole concept took some adjustment.

Maggie backed away from him, and surveyed the house. "It's really nice Rick. Beth's going to love it. I'll admit, it's a lot to drop on her at once. _We're moving, I got a new job, and we're getting married. _But I think she's going to be over the moon."

Rick could have hugged her again. "You really think so?" He thought Beth would say yes, of course, but it had occurred to him that Beth might not be okay with all of these changes without really talking about it. Of course they had talked about it in the abstract, but him acting on it was a different animal.

"I really do." Maggie nodded, before raising an eyebrow, a move which Beth had once referred to as her 'evil bitch face.' "So." Maggie continued, reaching over to let Hershel Jr. grab her finger, "When are you gonna give my kids some play mates?"

Rick swallowed roughly. He really missed having Beth as his buffer. Kids weren't something he was ready to talk about. He had lost his wife and his son, and he did want a family with Beth, more than anything, but he knew it was going to be a hard road getting there. He doubted he would ever fully get over losing his wife and son, but Beth was helping him get there day by day. More than that though, was the crippling fear that he could lose Beth the same way.

To Maggie's credit, she saw his discomfort, and quickly changed the subject.

"So, show us where you're gonna pop the question."

/

Beth sighed, as she quietly tiptoed into the apartment. She was getting damn tired of that hospital and their weird as hell shifts. 2-2? Who came up with that nonsense? So here it was, 2:30 in the morning on her birthday, and she was smelly, disheveled, and trying desperately not to wake her boyfriend up. She quickly flipped through her phone to her flashlight app, and lit the room in a soft bluish light. The door to their bedroom was shut thankfully, and the light was out, so she was confident Rick was asleep.

Beth considered going straight to bed, but honestly a shower seemed like a much better idea. But as she moved forward through the apartment, she noticed a plate on the counter in the kitchen, covered in saran wrap with a little note.

_Good Morning and Happy Birthday, beautiful._

_I made you a sandwich –Turkey and swiss on Rye- for you to eat when you get home. I know it's not the fanciest birthday breakfast, but I promise I'll make it up to you later. I also recorded Gilmore Girls for you, so it's on the DVR if you want to watch it while you eat. There's a vitamin water in the fridge._

_I love you so much. Happy birthday, Beth._

_-Rick_

Beth smiled to herself as she peeled the saran wrap off of her sandwich. She wasn't hungry, at all, but she knew Rick would lecture her if she didn't eat her sandwich. He worried a lot about her. She didn't really get a chance to eat working in the ICU, it was always busy. When she started dropping weight after graduation, Rick had pretty much freaked out. Beth could still hear him nagging in her ear; _you can't help anybody if you aren't healthy yourself. _

Still, Beth grabbed the plate and her vitamin water, and plopped herself on the sofa to watch her show. Rick had no interest in Gilmore Girls, but had suffered through it for her on occasion. Beth doubted she'd make it through the whole episode, but at least she would have a chance to wind down while she ate her sandwich.

"Oh thank god, it's an episode with Jess." She murmured to herself as she started the episode. Beth bit into her sandwich and let out a soft moan. The man could make a damn fine sandwich. Beth smiled to herself, once again reveling in just how lucky she was. She had someone who was kind, thoughtful, protective, and sexy as hell. They hadn't had any issues moving in together, outside of the fact that Rick only seemed to own one towel.

"_Maybe that's on purpose." He had said, leering at her, as she shoved the old white towel in his face. It even looked like a bachelor towel. Old and scratchy, with two blue stripes on it. _

"_Yeah, we're going to Target."_

Target had been an adventure. They couldn't seem to agree on towels. He wanted black. Who likes black towels? And he had quickly nixed the idea of yellow. They had settled on a nice sage green, Beth recalled happily. The whole experience had felt amazing, like they were already an old married couple arguing over the color of towels.

The theme song to the show played after the cold open, and Beth looked down to realize 2/3 of her sandwich was already gone.

"Guess I was hungrier than I thought." She told herself, but mentally was thankful Rick wasn't here for an 'I told you so.'

Beth pulled a red blanket over her legs, and settled in for the show as she finished up her sandwich.

/

When Beth woke up, the first thing that registered was a soft pale light coming through the curtains. The second was that she didn't remember getting in bed. And the third was the overwhelming smell of bacon coming in from the kitchen.

Beth smiled and stretched out in their bed. It was a thick blue duvet that Rick had offered to get rid of when she moved in. It did have a certain 'bachelor' feeling to it, but unlike the towel, it was soft and warm and smelled like Rick. Beth sighed, and rolled out of bed hoping to find the real thing. It was then she discovered she wasn't wearing her scrubs, but rather one of Rick's old t-shirts. She laughed, and wondered how he had managed that.

She tiptoed into the kitchen and found Rick fighting with a pan of bacon. He was standing about as far away from the stove as he could while still being able to flip the bacon. He was wearing only a red pair of boxer briefs.

"Ow, goddamit!" he snapped at the pan, as the fat popped, and most likely hit some part of his naked body.

"You know, yelling at it probably doesn't help." She laughed, crossing her arms and leaning against the door frame.

"Beth, no no no no, you weren't supposed to get up, I was going to bring you breakfast in bed for your birthday!" Rick droned, walking over to her, before pulling her into a kiss. "Happy Birthday." He whispered against her mouth, causing his beard to tickle Beth's lips and she giggled.

"This is better." She smiled, and ran her hands down his bare back.

Rick shuddered under her touch, but pulled away. "No. None of that. I refuse to burn this bacon after all it's put me through."

Beth laughed as Rick picked up his spatula again. "This is why we don't cook naked, Rick."

"Yeah, well… someone ran off with my shirt." He retorted, eyeing Beth's frame. She tiptoed behind him, and wrapped her arms around his trim waist.

"You could always have it back if you wanted." She whispered, covering his shoulder in small kisses.

Rick exhaled heavily, and let his head tilt backwards under Beth's attentions. "You're gonna be the death of me, Greene. And this bacon."

"Screw the bacon." Beth murmured, her hands snaking downwards.

Rick growled, and turned towards her. "I have a better idea."

Beth squealed as Rick lifted her up onto the counter of the island behind her and pushed her shirt up over her head. He leaned down on top of her, skin on skin, and Beth forgot how to breathe as the cold marble of the counter came in contact with her bare back.

It was soon forgotten when Rick pressed his mouth to hers. His tongue flicked lightly against her own as he pressed his erection against her, making her gasp. His hand snaked down her underwear, and he quickly began to tease her clit, eliciting a veritable array of noises from Beth.

Rick finally pulled her underwear down over her feet and threw it across the room with little fanfare. She didn't even notice him remove his own, but noticed the red garment flying through the air over her head. Beth felt Rick grip her behind her knees, and yank her to the edge of the counter. Beth groaned as Rick filled her.

Beth moaned as Rick carefully lifted her legs over his shoulders. His fingers dug into her hips as he leaned over her body, capturing her mouth in a kiss. His hands roved over her body, finding her breasts. Beth was lost as Rick grinded against her. His hand moved south again, and as his thumb found her clit, and his rhythm increased, Beth's eyes clamped shut and she went over the edge, even only vaguely aware that Rick was joining her in her ecstasy.

Rick pulled out of her, and she sat up, and pulled him close in an embrace.

"I think we burned the bacon." Beth giggled, wrapping one of Rick's curls around her finger.

Rick placed a quick kiss on her forehead. "Yeah…shit happens."

/

Rick had shooed Beth into the shower, as he attempted to do something about breakfast. The bacon was essentially calcified in the pan, and Rick had the windows open and the vent above the stove on high. He sighed to himself, and tossed the pan into the sink. This was, not regrettably, the first time this had happened, and somehow he doubted it would be the last. The night Beth had moved in, he was attempting to impress her with a lasagna, but it ended up burned and inedible when Beth had decided since she was home she didn't need her bra on anymore.

It wasn't his fault, honestly.

But as Rick pulled some clothes on, and got down the pancake mix, he had a hard time being too upset about it. Honestly, he was stressed the hell out, and getting laid released all those nice endorphins that made him do ridiculous things like dump an entire bottle of sprinkles into the pancake mix. More importantly is what the endorphins helped him NOT do, like dig the ring out of his truck and burst into the bathroom and propose to a terrified and soapy Beth this very second because he couldn't wait any longer.

_Yes. That was a bad idea_, he reiterated to himself.

It was tonight, all he had to do was be patient until tonight. He could do that… right?

Luckily, Beth came traipsing out of the bathroom, interrupting his reverie. Of course that brought on a whole new mind set, watching her stand there dripping wet in nothing but a little green towel.

She was clearly trying to kill him.

"Do you think we should get a dog?" she asked, seemingly out of nowhere, and Rick tilted his head at her.

"Why would we do that?" he asked, as he poured some batter into the pan on the stove. Beth shrugged, and leaned onto the small kitchen island that they had just sullied. "You might want to clean that." Rick muttered over his shoulder.

Beth laughed, but continued on, ignoring him. "I dunno, man's best friend, that's a thing."

Rick nodded slowly, sensing dangerous territory. "But you know, I'm not much of a dog person." This was practically heresy to Miss Every-animal-is-precious-and-glorious-and-needs-to-live-on-a-rainbow-happily-ever-after Beth Greene. But she didn't say anything, which prompted Rick to turn around and face her. Of course, her silence was only because she was wrapping her hair up in a towel. The very same towel that had previously been shielding her body.

Beth Greene was _definitely _trying to kill him.

What was worse was that she was looking at him with that evil glint in her eyes that let him know she knew exactly what she was doing. "I guess the apartment is kind of small for a dog." She sighed.

Rick threw an oven mitt at her when he had come back to his senses. "Is burnt bacon not enough for you, woman? You want burnt pancakes too? Put some damn clothes on." He winked at her, and she ran into the bedroom laughing evilly.

"And we're getting a cat!" he yelled after her.

Beth reappeared a few minutes later, and he couldn't help but kiss her immediately.

"You know I love you, right?" he asked, brushing a strand of wet hair away from her face. Rick watched as her nose wrinkled in confusion. He was being weird. He was on edge. He tried to smile at her, and her eyes narrowed.

"I love you too." She slowly intoned, and he kissed her on the head before fetching her plate of pancakes.

"I wiped off the island, so we can eat on it." He joked, and he put the plates down in front of the stools.

Beth's consternated face softened. "Did you put sprinkles in my pancakes, Rick?"

Rick shrugged, but smiled when Beth kissed him in response. "Happy Birthday, Beth."

She popped a fork full of pancakes into her mouth and danced back and forth while she chewed. She looked so funny and sweet. Rick couldn't believe he could be married to her for the rest of his life. _If she says yes, _the treacherous voice in the back of his mind whispered. He had to get out of here.

Rick stood and kissed Beth on the head while he pulled on some jeans over his boxer briefs. "Where are you goin'?" Beth asked with her mouth full as she watched him scramble.

"Gotta go get some stuff done." He vaguely responded, and he winced when she cocked her head at him.

"It's my birthday." She said sadly, and Rick sighed and walked over to her, kissing her on the head.

"I know baby. I'm going to get things ready for tonight. I have a nice… date planned for you. Can you be ready at 3?" Luckily Beth perked up at that, and nodded vehemently.

"Why 3?" she asked. Rick winced again, trying desperately not to talk himself into a corner.

"The… restaurant is out of town. It's a bit of a drive. And I'm gonna have to blindfold you." He answered, watching her face for any kind of reaction.

Her eyes narrowed momentarily, and Rick thought he saw something register in her eyes but it was gone before he could identify it. "That's pretty kinky Officer Grimes. Are you bringing your handcuffs too?" she laughed at her own joke before taking another bite of her pancakes.

Rick grinned, and tilted her chin up so he could look at her. "Those are for later. I love you birthday girl." Rick kissed her soundly, tasting the maple syrup on her, and headed for the door.

"I love you! And your pancakes!" she called after him.

/

Beth Greene was no idiot. She and Rick Grimes had been together for a while now. They were living together, in love, and of a certain age. And today was her birthday. She would be lying if she said that part of her wasn't expecting a ring for her birthday.

It didn't matter of course, whether they got engaged today or never, Beth would love Rick regardless. But he was acting so _weird_ this morning.

It was definitely going to happen.

Beth decided to call Maggie and see if she would come help her get ready. That was kind of a drive for her, almost pointless, but hey, it was a big night.

"Hello?" Maggie answered, sounding tired.

"What's wrong Mags?" Beth asked immediately, while she picked at her pancakes.

"Morning sickness. Do yourself a favor, don't get pregnant." Beth rolled her eyes, and felt guilty about wanting Maggie to come out. She did have a family to look after. "Happy birthday by the way, sister! It's a big one."

"Not really, it's just 23." Beth answered to silence on the other end of the phone.

"…Right." Maggie finally answered.

Beth sighed. "Listen, do you want to come help me get ready for my big birthday dinner date tonight?" Beth asked, before she heard a small click. Beth's mouth opened in shock. Had her sister just hung up on her?!

A moment later she had a text from Maggie.

_Sorry sis, not feeling great. Must be a bad connection with the phone. Love you, happy birthday! Xo._

Beth sighed, and put her phone down. Rick wasn't the only one acting weird.

Beth grabbed her pancakes and took them to the couch to finish her episode of Gilmore Girls. She couldn't remember where she fell asleep- something to do with Jess cleaning out Lorelei's rain gutters, which was thankfully not a euphemism.

Beth finished her pancakes and the episode before going into their bedroom and examining her clothing choices for tonight. It was fall, after all, so she was worried it could get cold, but she didn't want to exactly bundle up either. She eventually settled on a long sleeved red dress that she owned. It hit her just above the knees, but was sheer around her arms, shoulders, and middle. It hit the right balance of sweet and sexy.

Beth checked her watch. It was only 10:00. What in the world did Rick need to be doing that would take another 5 hours?

/

Rick had gotten everything set up with the help of Beth's family. He wondered if Beth would even like this. They had only had one vague conversation about a possible proposal in the past. The whole time she had acted like she thought if she acted too excited she might scare him off. It was silly of course, because Beth would probably have to become a mass murderer to scare him off. Hell, even then he'd be tempted to help her hide the bodies.

Afterwards, Rick had gone by his old police station to change. His old buddies had been upset to see him leave, but most of them understood. After Lori and Carl died, Rick hadn't minded the danger of the job. He didn't have a family to get back to, so the stressful hours and inherent hazards were on him alone. But now that he was starting a new family, he had to get somewhere safer. He didn't want to abandon Beth, which everyone understood.

His old partner Morales understood most of all.

He had been there when Lori and Carl had died. He had seen Rick go through that, and how his life turned around the day he met Beth. So while everyone else in the station was teasingly telling Rick not to do it, Morales couldn't have been happier for him.

Rick had showered and changed into his suit. He had opted for a classic gray, with an open collar. He briefly considered shaving, but remembered Beth's affinity for his beard, which he never understood. He knew the gray in his beard aged him, and he wouldn't have blamed Beth if she had wanted him to shave in an attempt to make him look younger. But she never asked him to, and quite the opposite, pouted every time he discussed shaving it.

Now Rick was dressed and ready. He just needed to make one more stop.

Rick pulled into the cemetery, and felt a pang of guilt that he was moving away from it. He still visited often, probably a few times a month, but not as often as he used to.

_Lori Grimes, Beloved wife and mother_

_Carl Grimes, Adored son_

It still made him angry, if he was being honest. Her last words had been about saving Carl. She had died so that Carl could live, and he died anyway. He was just too small. Lori had gone into premature labor at 7 months. She had bled out.

Rick rubbed the palm of his hand against his eye as he cried. He missed Lori; she had been his high school sweetheart. He had a lot of mixed emotions. Their relationship had never been perfect, but she was still about to be the mother of his son. He would love her forever for that.

"Hey guys. I just wanted to come say hi." Rick said, as he sat in the grass. It occurred to him too late that he might get grass or mud on his suit, but some things were more important.

Rick sighed. "I guess that's not true. I didn't come to just say hi. You remember Beth? Well… I'm going to ask her to marry me tonight."

Rick winced. It was hard for him to do this, but he felt like he owed it to them. "It's not about replacing you guys, I hope you know that. I love you both terribly. But I know you would want me to be happy, and Beth… she makes me happy. Lori, you knew how badly I wanted to be a father. And… I am a father to Carl. But I'm a father without a son. And it's been killing me."

Rick sobbed into his elbow. This was harder for him than he knew how to articulate. He felt like he couldn't let go of Lori and Carl. He had been to a psychologist after their deaths, and she had told him that he needed to 'move on and let them go.' Move on he could do. He had done. He had sold their house and gotten an apartment, had been promoted at work, and now he was moving on by starting a family with Beth. But letting them go? That was completely different. Lori and Carl had always been a part of him, and they always would be.

Rick had brought Beth here once. She had been beyond sweet and understanding, but he doubted he would do it again. It was just two different worlds. Rick didn't know if that was healthy, but this was the way he was handling it.

"I love her very much. And I honestly think she would have loved both of you." Rick had no doubt that was true. If Carl had lived, Rick honestly believed that he and Beth would still be together. She would have loved Carl as her own, he knew that 100%. He even thought that in a different universe Lori and Beth might have been friends. The two were very, very different but Beth was the kind of person who people gravitated towards. He certainly had.

"I brought you both something." Rick placed a single red rose in front of Lori's grave plot. Red roses had always been her favorite, and Rick worked hard not to compare her to Beth, who didn't care much for roses, especially if they were red. For Carl, he had brought a comic book. Carl would have been 13 now, and he liked to think his son would have been a reader. Rick knew it was a little silly, but Carl was his son. He was his son, and he loved him.

"I'm actually really nervous about tonight. I don't think she'll say no, per se, but she is very young. And moving to the country and settling down is not necessarily a 'young' thing to do. I hope she's as excited for our future as I am." Rick sighed.

"I love Beth very much. I know you guys are somewhere watching and are happy for me. I know it." He sniffled again. Rick stood up, and backed away from the gravestones, and wiped off the back of his pants. "If she says yes… it means I won't be able to come up as much. But I did do something." Rick dug in his pocket and produced a small picture of a tree.

"I planted a tree for you two in our back yard. That way… That way I can still come talk to you guys. And you can watch over me. Over us." He finished. "I love you. Wish me luck."

Rick walked backwards away from the plots. It was always very hard for him to leave; but when he turned away towards his car, he felt a jump in his stomach. This was it; he was going to go propose to someone he loved more than life, and this time he was determined to do whatever it took to keep her loved and protected.

/

Beth was waiting rather impatiently. She had been ready for an hour, and was finding it difficult to distract herself until Rick arrived. She had cleaned the bacon pan, which she felt like qualified as something she shouldn't have to do on her birthday, as well as the rest of the kitchen. Then she had showered again, for no apparent reason. She had shaved, plucked, moisturized herself into oblivion, and she hoped to god she looked good. She had originally considered putting her hair in an up do, if only as a way to waste more time, but at the end of the day, left it down in soft waves, as she knew Rick loved it most.

She was nervous. It was unusual for Rick to leave her alone on her birthday like this. Last year, she had been unable to peel him off of her, and she loved every second of it. Which meant whatever was going on tonight was a big, fat, hairy deal. And really, only one thing qualified, unless he was planning on killing her and hiding her body in the woods. Which she doubted.

When he finally knocked on the door at 2:47, she couldn't help but leap out of her place on the couch. She had been flipping through a magazine, which was essentially code for 'thinking about my boyfriend.' She rushed to the door and swung it open sharply, revealing Rick.

He looked gorgeous, effortless as always. Rick knew the value of a tailored suit, so all he had to do was throw it on, and he looked flawless. His blue eyes popped against the gray, and Beth was left more than a little breathless.

"Beth… wow… you look… You look perfect." Rick whispered as he reached out for her. Beth crumbled into his arms easily, and he kissed her softly. Beth giggled as Rick proceeded to trail kisses up her cheekbones into her hair. His hands gripped her tightly at her hips, and she sighed as he pulled her tight against her. He smelled like grass, and polo, and that undeniably _Rick_ smell; it was intoxicating.

Beth gently pushed back away from him, which elicited a whimper in response from Rick. Beth regarded him carefully. She couldn't help but think he looked a little bit stressed. She softly pushed his curls back out of his face. "Are you okay Rick? We don't have to go out tonight. I'd be just as happy staying in with you." She prompted, as he kissed her wrist.

Rick smiled lightly at her. "Not tonight. Tonight we have somewhere to be."

Rick gripped her hand, and led her down towards his truck. Beth smiled, as he opened the door for her, like he always did. Beth buckled in as Rick joined her on the other side. She smiled at him, and held out a blindfold.

"You know that gonna mess up my hair, right?" she teased, regarding him carefully.

Rick shrugged back at her. "Price of admission, ma'am." Rick brought the mask down over her eyes, and Beth sighed. "Might as well get comfortable missy, we'll be here a while."

Beth gripped Rick's hand in the darkness, and brought his fingers up to her lips to kiss. "No hints?" she prodded hoping for anything.

"No hints." Rick confirmed.

/

An hour and a half later, Beth realized they had started driving on a dirt road. Were they going to her parents? That would make the most sense. It would be very sweet of Rick to want to propose with her family nearby. Maybe that would explain why Maggie was being so weird.

Rick's palm had also begun to feel sweaty. She could hear him moving around in his seat, and occasionally a sharp intake of breath. She was trying to be comforting, but had to admit to a little bit of nerves herself. Still, she stroked his hand, and occasionally kissed his fingers. The ride was shockingly quiet. Generally, their car rides were filled with laughter and conversation. This was a stark, terrifying difference.

Finally the car came to a stop, and Beth swore to god she could hear her heart beating. Rick sighed and kissed her fingers, before releasing her hand, and getting out of the truck. Beth was trying to calm her breathing, and she already felt a lump in her throat forming. She couldn't believe this was happening.

She heard her car door open, and Rick's hands were reaching for her waist. She carefully put her hands on his shoulders, and allowed him to lift her out of the car. She found herself clinging to his suit coat, afraid he would walk away from her. Her breathing came to a complete stop when she felt his hand reach for the blindfold, and gently pull it off.

Beth's eyes came into focus, and she expected to see her parents' home. Instead, she saw a small white house, surrounded by trees, covered in small white string lights. The sun was setting behind the house, and Beth suddenly understood why he wanted to leave at three. There was a ton of land in every direction, and away and behind the house, Beth spotted a small barn.

"Rick… where are we?" Beth looked away from inspecting the area towards Rick, but found him instead bending down on one knee on a blanket in the middle of the yard. Beth slowly moved towards him and already felt tears pricking at her eyes.

"Rick?" she asked, her voice breaking when she reached him. He reached into his pocket and produced a small blue velvet box, and the dam broke for Beth completely. The tears were running down her cheeks when Rick opened the box, exposing the most perfect ring she could have ever imagined.

"Beth," Rick spoke for the first time, and Beth understood why. His voice tremored and he stopped to collect himself after one word. "Beth, I love you. I love you more than anything. And I see you nodding your head, but you got to let me finish, baby." He laughed, though Beth saw tears already rolling down his cheeks as well. Beth hadn't realized she was already nodding, but the information didn't surprise her.

"I think I've been waiting for you all my life, Beth. You are the piece of me that has been missing, and now that you're here, I don't want another day without you. But Beth, I need to tell you. I'm not just asking you to marry me. I'm asking for a life with you." Rick's voice broke again, and it took all of Beth's strength not to tackle him and kiss him to death.

"This house behind you, this land, it's ours. I bought it for us. I quit the Atlanta job, and in a few weeks I'm going to start with the county Sheriff's department. I know you don't really know where we are, but your family's farm is a few miles down the road. You could probably ride the horse down there if you wanted." Rick made a confused gesture with his hand. "There's a horse. In the barn. Your horse, your barn. If… If you want it. If you want me."

Beth's jaw dropped, and she finally fell to her knees in front of Rick. He was avoiding her gaze, and Beth gently cupped his chin, and forced his eyes to meet her own. They were both crying, and seeing tears form in Rick's eyes, only encouraged her own. "I always want you, Rick. Always." Beth choked out, as she wiped the tears from Rick's face with her thumb. "I can't believe you did all of this for us."

Rick laughed through his tears. "I love you, Beth." He said simply, and Beth knew it answered her. He did all of this because he loved her. And Beth had never felt more loved.

"I love you too." She answered softly, gently kissing him.

"Is that a yes?" Rick asked in a small voice.

"YES!" Beth all but screamed, somehow forgetting that she was supposed to be answering a question. Rick laughed, and pulled the ring out of its box, and gently moved it down her finger. Beth stared at the ring, almost in a trance. It was a thin gold band with a large princess cut diamond solitaire. Beth didn't remember discussing rings with Rick, but had he taken her shopping with him, she would have picked this one every time.

Beth immediately threw her arms around Rick's neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

"Alright that's enough of that." Beth pulled back from Rick to see her sister standing against a tree.

"Maggie!" Beth jumped up and threw her arms around her sister, who was laughing at her exuberance.

"Somebody had to take pictures." She said, as a way of explanation, and held out her camera. "You two are a bunch of crybabies." Maggie smiled, but when Beth looked up at her, she noticed tears in her sister's eyes as well. "Happy Birthday Beth."

Rick had come up behind them, and Maggie threw her arms around Rick's neck, much to Beth's surprise. "You take care of her, brother-in-law." Maggie cried, before seemingly becoming aware of herself. "Ugh, damn hormones!" she said, before grabbing Beth's hand.

"Beth, you want to go check out the house?" Rick asked gently, twirling a strand of Beth's hair around her finger. Beth nodded fiercely in response, before pulling Rick in for another kiss.

"I love you so much. Thank you for all of this." She whispered against his lips. He just smiled in response, and the three walked up the porch. Rick carefully unlocked the door, and flipped on the light inside.

"Congratulations!"

Immediately Beth registered the faces of her family, and she shrieked. "Mom?!" Beth flew into her arms, and her mother Annette cried as she held Beth close. Over her shoulder, Beth registered the faces of Glenn and Hershel Jr., Shawn and an extremely pregnant Andrea, along with their kids Janie and Peter. Finally her eyes fell on her father, whose eyes were filled with tears.

"Daddy, don't cry…" Beth beseeched, and Hershel waved off her concern.

"They aren't tears of sadness, Bethy. I'm just so happy to have all of my family together, including my new son." Hershel pulled both Rick in Beth into a hug, as the rest of the family looked on.

/

Rick didn't know why Beth had insisted on sleeping in the new house, it made no sense to do so. Hershel had laughingly donated an air mattress and some blankets to get them through the night, and Beth had absconded with Rick's shirt. He sighed as he crawled into the squeaky bed next to his new fiancée, who was lovingly examining her diamond ring.

"I mean it really is perfect. I probably would have said that if it had been terrible, but I mean it, it's _perfect_!" She sighed, causing Rick to laugh.

"I'm glad you like it sweetheart." Rick pulled her into his arms, and she started running her fingers through his chest hair.

"I don't know what my favorite part was! The horse, the ring, the house, the proposal, my family, the cake- OH MY GOD THAT CAKE." Beth moaned, and Rick kissed her head. Andrea, Beth's sister in law, who was surely about to give birth any moment, had somehow baked Beth a giant chocolate cake with raspberry filling and dark chocolate frosting. Shawn and her father had fired up the grill and cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for everyone, while Maggie, Beth, and their mother had giggled in the kitchen and discussed wedding plans while they made fruit salad.

"And, I have to say, the house is perfect. It's amazing. It's really ours?"

"It's really ours."

"I can't believe that! The kitchen is amazing; all of us were in there without any issues. It was so nice of mom to bring over a bunch of extra kitchen stuff for us to cook with. And this bedroom is INSANE, and I can't believe there's a Jacuzzi in our bathroom, and I really love that it's a big dining room, of course, we all ate on the floor tonight, but still!"

Rick laughed. "It's just four walls and a roof, Beth."

Beth looked at him, and Rick's heart stopped at the sincerity in her eyes. "No. It isn't. It's our home."

Rick sighed happily. It had all gone off without a hitch, somehow. Beth had said yes, everyone had made it down; she seemed to really love the house and all the accoutrements.

"Rick?" Beth asked gently, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Hmm?" he responded, already falling closer and closer towards sleep.

"Was it hard for you?" Beth asked carefully, her eyes focused carefully on her finger swirling around Rick's chest. "I mean, being around my family?"

Rick sighed, and tilted Beth's chin up to look at him. This is why he loved her. Most women would be falling asleep in an engagement induced wild stupor, but she had seen to his core, and known that being around a family again might not be easy for him.

"It's our family now, right?" he queried, looking into her deep blue eyes.

Beth smiled sadly up at him. "Definitely. I just want you to know it's okay if part of you is feeling a little sad."

Rick chuckled, and pulled her up to his lips and kissed her. "As long as I've got you, it's hard for me to imagine ever being too sad again."

**There's part two of three. Possibly four. Don't judge me. Quadrilogies are a thing now. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please, please leave me feedback. (Ain't too proud to beg.) If you hated it, I want to know that too, and why. This section was very Rick focused, but I have big plans for Beth next time, so don't worry. **

**Thank you all for reading!**


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